The Sony FX3 has formally landed – and as anticipated, it is the smallest, least expensive Sony cinema digicam up to now and a compelling selection to the superb Sony A7S III.
There are without a doubt a large number of similarities between the Sony FX3 and A7S III. Each are 12.1MP full-frame cameras which are suitable with Sony’s E-Mount lenses and will shoot 4K/60p video. However the FX3 sits in Sony’s Cinema line, because of this it is in particular designed for professional filmmakers, moderately than the hybrid shooters (suppose weddings and reside concert events) centered by means of the Alpha-badged A7S III.
So how one can the 2 cameras fluctuate? The primary bodily variations are that the FX3 loses the integrated digital viewfinder (EVF) observed on its sibling, however good points some fan-assisted lively cooling and a bundled care for accent, which improves its dealing with and cleverly boosts its audio choices.
The FX3 additionally good points filmmaking-specific extras, together with a moderately fetching tally lamp (underneath), which obviously presentations when the digicam is recording to keep away from any mishaps.
The FX3’s detachable care for (underneath) slots into its multi-interface shoe and contains dual XLR/TRS jacks. Those are the go-to usual for professional audio recording and provides it the similar sound choices because the Sony FX6, a miles higher digicam that prices a painful $6,000 / £6,000 / AU$9,500.
It is conceivable so as to add those XLR terminals to a digicam just like the Sony A7S III the use of an adapter package, however it is a extra clunky resolution than the FX3’s care for. The truth that this XLR care for is integrated with the FX3 could also be why it is fairly pricier than the A7S III.
Because of the inclusion of the similar back-illuminated 12.1MP full-frame sensor because the A7S III, which guarantees 15 stops of dynamic vary, the FX3 guarantees to shoot in a similar way superb video high quality, in particular in low-light scenarios. There is an strategy to shoot slo-mo 4K/120p photos, and the FX3 additionally has the preferred S-Cinetone colour profile, which lately arrived at the A7S III by way of a firmware replace.
As a result of it is designed for solo, run-and-gun filmmaking, the FX3 additionally has in-body symbol stabilization (IBIS) in conjunction with an digital Lively Mode, which will provide you with even more potent stabilization on the expense of a 10% crop. We have not discovered Sony’s stabilization to be the most productive, regardless that, so FX3 shooters might nonetheless want to believe the use of a gimbal or Sony’s Catalyst instrument within the edit room.
For a digicam that weighs handiest 715g with a card and battery (simply 16g greater than the A7S III) the Sony FX3 without a doubt packs in some tough taking pictures options. It could possibly shoot 4K video with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour sampling internally, and too can output 16-bit uncooked video to an exterior recorder by way of its full-size HDMI port.
Indisputably the combo of this taking pictures energy and the FX3’s length is a recipe for over-heating? Smartly, thank you to at least one different distinction from the Sony A7S III – an lively cooling gadget with integrated lovers – Sony is promising ‘uninterrupted’ 4K/60p taking pictures, with a most steady recording time of 13 hours. The FX3 would possibly now not be capable to shoot 8K video, however that is beautiful spectacular for this sort of small digicam and it trumps the A7S III on this regard.
Sony FX3 vs Sony A7S III: what specifications do they percentage?
12.1MP BSI full-frame sensor
Bionz XR processor
Shoot 4K/120p or FHD/240p video
File in 10-bit 4:2:2 internally
Expanded ISO vary of 80-409,600
15-stop dynamic vary
Have S-Cinetone, S-Log3/2 profiles
5-axis symbol stabilization
Similar Hybrid AF autofocus gadget
16-bit uncooked video by way of HDMI port
Dual CFexpress Kind A / SD slots
Similar NP-FZ100 battery
Mud and moisture-resistant
Similar touchscreen menu gadget
Moderately much less spectacular is the absence of integrated ND filters, that are a gorgeous helpful for filmmakers, in particular when taking pictures in shiny prerequisites.
Sony says it’s because they sought after to make the FX3 as compact as conceivable, however it is an omission that would make it much less interesting to a few filmmakers.
Cinema paradiso
Nonetheless, regardless of that loss of integrated ND filters, there is no doubt that the Sony FX3 has a extremely spectacular function set for this sort of compact digicam.
It isn’t the primary small cinema digicam we have now observed that shoehorns within the energy of a miles higher physique. The Canon EOS C70 lately pulled off a an identical trick, packing in lots of the Canon C300 Mark II’s options into an impressively moveable, user-friendly shape issue.
While the EOS C70 combines a Tremendous 35mm sensor (an identical in length to APS-C) with a DSLR-sized physique, the Sony FX3 is going a step additional with its full-frame sensor and super-compact physique. That mentioned, the EOS C70 claims an added give up of dynamic vary (at 16 stops), so it will be fascinating to peer how the 2 examine within the box.
It isn’t simply Sony and Canon slugging it out for the money of solo or newbie filmmakers both – we lately additionally noticed the coming of the a lot inexpensive Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Digicam 6K Professional. That digicam combines a Tremendous 35mm sensor with, sure, integrated ND filters for a gorgeous cheap $2,495 / £1,879 / AU$3,935 price ticket.
Naturally, the full-frame Sony FX3, which comes with Sony’s class-leading autofocus and different bonuses like dual CFexpress Kind A / SD card slots, is a bit pricier at $3,899 / £4,200 (round AU$7,460). However while you believe how lots of the Sony FX6’s options it manages to pack right into a 715g physique, it might neatly equivalent the recognition of the Sony A7S III – and in all probability even tempt one of the homeowners of that digicam over.
A drone’s absolute best buddy?
Previous to the Sony FX3’s release, there was once some hypothesis that the digicam has been personalized for the impending Sony Airpeak drone. And Sony has showed to us that the 2 will certainly make a excellent, if dear, combo.
Once we requested if there are any specific sides of the FX3 which were designed to lend a hand it paintings with the Sony Airpeak, a Sony spokesperson informed us: “The FX3 is the very best structure to be paired with a drone together with the Airpeak drone, however we don’t seem to be ready to touch upon specifics”.
Which means that we might quickly see precisely how the 2 mix when Sony unearths extra about its first drone quickly. Sony has in the past mentioned that it will be launching “a brand new trade centered for pro pictures and video manufacturing within the spring of 2021”, because of this someday between March and Might.
The FX3’s suitability for Airpeak is not an enormous wonder, for the reason that the drone’s first press pictures confirmed it wearing a Sony A7S III – a digicam that weighs an insignificant 16g not up to the FX3. The loss of an EVF at the FX3, which is not in point of fact vital on a drone digicam, additionally makes it a probably neater are compatible at the Airpeak’s gimbal, which has been optimized for cameras of that length.
